I doubt that Ironman will throw it's sponsors under the bus and agree to any uniform rule on UCI compliant bikes ... e.g., "Ventum named official bike sponsor of the 2016 Ironman world championship." Follow the money!

I am a lot more interested in the meaning behind this: ... "ITU sanctioning select IRONMAN events as international events."

Does that mean that some Ironman events could eventually become the ITU World Long Course Championship ... realizing that venues are already set through 2019. And if it means something else, why would anyone care? I doubt more people would enter an Ironman simply because the ITU says WTC race X is now sanctioned. Huh?!

Pretty sure WTC has all the power in this relationship - particularly when it comes to non-draft triathlon.. If they make a uniform rule on non-draft bike geometry it will be ITU going the way of WTC, not the other way around. ------------- Ed O'Malley www.VeloVetta.comVeloVetta is developing AERO CYCLING SHOES with CFD and wind tunnel testing.

While it's great that the two get along, I don't trust Ironman are in for anything else but to solidify their monopoly on long distance racing.

Bye bye 4/120/30....

Well, of course. My unstated assumption is that ITU isn't going to pay WTC because of this agreement. And I do not see any benefit to their bottomline to agree to UCI legal bikes.

Edit - Also, regarding 4/120/30 ... multifestival locations already locked in through 2019. Maybe you can say bye bye in 2020, but then are you suggesting that the WTC would host an ITU multifestival championship at an Ironman venue? Which gains WTC what?

Edit - Also, regarding 4/120/30 ... multifestival locations already locked in through 2019. Maybe you can say bye bye in 2020, but then are you suggesting that the WTC would host an ITU multifestival championship at an Ironman venue? Which gains WTC what?

â€˘ Working towards ITU being recognized as the singular international federation leading the sport of triathlon â€˘ The ITU sanctioning select IRONMAN events as international events â€˘ The ITU leading coordination and communication with its member National Federations to implement standardized rules and reinforce the ITU's "Clean, Fair & Safe" mandate â€˘ Working toward a single set of rules (ITU Competition Rules) for long-distance triathlon beginning in 2018

...particularly when it comes to non-draft triathlon.. If they make a uniform rule on non-draft bike geometry it will be ITU going the way of WTC, not the other way around.

But why wouldn't ITU just adopt UCI technical/equipment rules for NDL/long-course racing, as they have done with Standard, Sprint and SS races? Another example: rules for the passing zone, etc., could also be standardized this way (are you reading, Challenge?) since rules for ITT's have been established, etc.

Possibly, if WTC became the event organizer. But it's more complicated than that. ITU sends out solicitations for bids and various cities vie to host and organize. WTC owns neither the venues nor the permits, although it shouldn't be difficult for them to obtain by working with the cities that already host their events. I'll wait and see how this actually pans out...as in a better explanation of what it means when ITU sanctions an Ironman race. Last I checked, WTC is doing pretty well without their sanction.

We are in violent agreement. I just don't know whether the ITU sanction will extend to granting WTC various championship events that they don't already have. I will be interested to see how this shakes out.

Yeah, I read the whole thing. You snipped only part of it and you missed what I think is the most important part:

The ITU sanctioning select IRONMAN events as international events

I think that yes, they do want to avoid some of the conflicts and surprises with rule differences that have ruined some people's races. But What does each party really get out of this? They both signed this MOU willingly. No one is being forced here. WTC will never tell their most loyal customers that the $7,000 bikes they all bought are now junk and they have to buy new ones. What benefit would they get from this? What leverage would ITU have to make them do this? I think it is mostly about the long distance world championships.

Right now, the Ironman World Championships are considered by most to be the real one (cue the outrage from the ITU fans). And really it is. No disrespect to ITU LD world's competitors, but ITU treats it like the ugly stepchild. The shop it out to regional organizing committees and race directors instead of managing it themselves. They have repeatedly allowed officiating and course timing be so bad that blatant course cutters are winning world titles. The quality of the events, so I hear, are pretty low compared to IM and IM 70.3 worlds in terms of facilities, course, etc. And it is much easier to qualify for than Kona, leading to much less competitive fields.

But the ITU feels they cannot acknowledge an event that they have nothing to do with as a World Championship, so they keep putting it on, even though they really don't want to. They care about short course and in particular draft-legal. Everything else is a distraction for them. But can they call themselves the legitimate international governing body when their position in the most popular form of triathlon - long course non-draft - is minuscule compared to Ironman?

And Ironman would love for the official governing body to stop trying to compete with them and finally acknowledge their races as the real world championships.

My guess is that is what this is about and that is what is coming.

But what does that mean for selection to "Team USA" or other worlds AG teams? Would the NGB's still have control over it, or would it continue to be slots handed out at Ironman races as it is currently? If you race in Kona will you have to buy a crappy and overpriced TYR tri suit?------------- Ed O'Malley www.VeloVetta.comVeloVetta is developing AERO CYCLING SHOES with CFD and wind tunnel testing.

One thing to keep in mind is that both UCI and WTC would like a global rule book. USAT, the French federation and a few others have been against this. This is why the US has a snorkel rule and higher wetsuit temp rules than most of the rest of the world.

But can they call themselves the legitimate international governing body when their position in the most popular form of triathlon - long course non-draft - is minuscule compared to Ironman?

Popular where? And yes, only ITU reports to the IOC. But you know this.

RowToTri wrote:

But ...And Ironman would love for the official governing body to stop trying to compete with them and finally acknowledge their races as the real world championships.

They are a private company, like MLB, NFL, and NHL. Only the bottom line mattersâ€”cue ignoring doping/cheating for ratings/ROI/profit.

RowToTri wrote:

But ...But what does that mean for selection to "Team USA" or other worlds AG teams? Would the NGB's still have control over it, or would it continue to be slots handed out at Ironman races as it is currently?

Why would there be a change in qualification?

RowToTri wrote:

But If you race in Kona will you have to buy a crappy and overpriced TYR tri suit?

TYR is no longer the USAT sponsor.

You did not ask the important question(s): what about lottery/charity/celebrity/corporate/legacy entries, etc.?

As of now, basically, anyone can buy their way into IM races, including Kona/Chattanooga, right? This is not soâ€”AFAIKâ€”with ITU events, for which one has to qualify to race. no sponsors | no races | nothing to see here

With regards to buying your way into ITU events, sure you can. At least, Canadians can. Even if you didn't even race at a qualifying event (never mind actually qualifying at one), you can put your name on a list, forget if its charity or whatever, and they will let you on the team. I believe you have to pay twice the entry fee or something like that, plus the usual cost of the team kit, etc.

With regards to buying your way into ITU events, sure you can. At least, Canadians can. Even if you didn't even race at a qualifying event (never mind actually qualifying at one), you can put your name on a list, forget if its charity or whatever, and they will let you on the team. I believe you have to pay twice the entry fee or something like that, plus the usual cost of the team kit, etc.

Here, check out 'stage 3' of the qualifying process....http://www.triathloncanada.com/.../itu_ag_team/worlds/[/quote[/url]]

I'm not sure if you are speaking only to this year's multifestival in Canada, but I believe that the host country gets many more slots per AG than other participating nations. I've raced ITU Long Course Worlds in Sweden and Holland, and talking to athletes from those countries, I understand that extra slots were allocated to each Tri-Club in the nation...or some such.

I think WTC has already had influence on which bikes are allowed in ITU racing. During Redman (LC worlds) my Dimond was ruled illegal despite the rule book stating that the frame had to be "built around a diamond shape" and that bikes with "no down seat tube are acceptable". However, Ventum was on the list of approved bikes. Coincidence?

The bike aspect could be interesting as currently a number of Iron man legal bikes are not ITU legal. Venture is onlying company that I am aware of that has worked with the ITU to sanction their bike.

I have been riding a Titanflex for several years but it is not ITU legal and in the UK British Triathlon adopts ITU rules and now I can not ride my Titanflex at local races, having asked and checked with British Triathlon.

I asked Titanflex if they would be approaching the ITU to see if their frame could be sanctioned but I do not know if they have or are going to.

I'm sure if Ironman was to come under ITU rules the big bike companies would seek approval in the same way that Venture has done.